Hinge for automobile-doors.



J. B. RICHARDS.

HINGE FOR AUTOMOBILE DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22. 1915.

Patented Sept. 26, 1916.

IN VENTOR, Jaiwz/ B. Rzckarda;

BY v

ATTORNEY.

JOHN B. RICHARDS, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

HINGE FOR AUTOMOBILE-DOORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 26, 1916.

Application filed September 22, 1915. Serial No. 52,018.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN B. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing in the city of Springfield, county of Hampden, andState of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Hinges for Automobile-Doors, of which the following isa'specification.

This invention relates to improvements in 4 the construction ofautomobile bodies and particularly in the construction of the doors forinclosed cars of the limousine construction in which it is desirable,oftentimes, to open the upper part of the body for ventilation orobservation purposes, or, to close the same in stormy weather.

The invention, specifically considered, re-

I lates to the construction of the hinge for holding the upper frame ofthe entrance door either in an elevated or lowered position, the hingebeing so designed as to prevent rattling of the parts of the swingingframe, either when in raised or lowered position.

Broadly, the hinge comprises two leaf members pivotally connectedtogether, the swinging leaf which is attached to the upper frame part ofthe door having two flat surfaces on an enlarged or boss portion of theleaf, and against which a suitable leaf spring bears for firmly holdingthe upper frame part of the door either in an open or closed position.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a detail vertical sectional viewon a plane at right angles to the door and extending from the roof tothe sill portion of the body, showing the upper and lower portions ofthe door in closed position; Fig. 2 shows the door in an open position,swung outward and away from the sill and in position for swinging theupper frame downward into the dotted line position against the lowerframe; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the, hinge which pivotallyconnects the two Referring to the drawings in detail-'1 designates aportion of one of the side sills of the body portion of the car, 2 aportion of the roof, the lower member of the door at 3, and the uppermember at 4. The lower and upper members of the door are connectedtogether by means of the hinge shown in Fig. 3, the lower leaf 5 beingattached to the lower frame portion 3 of the door and the upper leaf 6to the upper portion. The leaf 6 is attached to the upper portion. Eachof the leaf members is formed with inwardly extending portions 7 and 8and oppositely extending portions 9 and 10. The leaf 6 is attached tothe upper frame by means of the screws 11 which pass through theopenings in the parts 6 and 9, and the lower leaf is attached to thelower part of the door by means of the screws 12 and 13, which passthrough openings in the parts 5 and 7. Secured to the lower leaf 5, byany suitable means, as a rivet, is a leaf spring 14 substantiallyS-shape in form, the rivet being indicated at 15. The upper leaf of thehinge has formed integral therewith the boss or hub 6 having the twoflattened surfaces 16 and 17 against which the upper end of by means ofwhich the lower door frame 3 is connected to the body 18 of the car,.thepoint of attachment being indicated at 19. After the door is swung openthe upper frame 4 can then be folded down into the dotted line position4 shown in Fig. 2 in the direction indicated by the arrow 4 The upperend of the spring 14 follows or bears on the curved surface 20 until itengages the flat surface 16. The combined action of the spring and flatsurfaces serves the purpose of holding the upper frame section 4 in itsdownward position, and closely against the inner surface of the lowersection of the door, it being understood that the hinge 14 is madestrong enough to prevent any rat-. tling of this frame, either in itsopen or closed position. It should be stated that the through twoupstanding bosses that are abovethe outer surface of-the lower leaf andat the upper side edges of the same, and also through the boss or hub 6on which the two flat surfaces 16 and 17 are formed and with which theupper'end of the leaf spring 14 engages.

\Vhat I claim is:

The combination with the upper and lower frames of a two-part automobiledoor, a hinge construction for connecting the frames together,comprising two flat leaves to be designed for attachment to the innersides and adjacent the meeting edges of the frames, the upper and lowerleaves of the hinge each having inwardly projecting integral portionsand each of said portions having projections which extend parallel withthe leaves to form socket-like constructions for receiving the lower andupper edges, respectively, of the frames, the upper leaf having aprojection adjacent the meeting edges of the frames and formed withopposltely disposed flat surfaces, the lower leaf having spaced ears toreceive the projectlon last mentioned and a pintle passing through thespac'ed ears and projection therebetween for connecting the leavestogether, and a fiat leaf spring, substantially S-shape and attachednear the lower end of the lower leaf of the hinge, its upper enddesigned to engage either one or the other of the flat surfaces of saidprojection on the upper leaf for retaining the frames in either upwardor lowered position, as and for the purpose described.

JOHN B. RICHARDS.

